Alphabetical keyboard punch



Sept. 11, 1928.

1,684,001 A. WElLAND ET AL ALPHABETI CAL KEYBOARD PUNCH Filed July, 28, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 AZ/ked Walk/m5 j zmlzzfiizisall and Charles /7. fiezgeii attain/04* A. WEILAND ET AL ALPHABETICAL KEYBOARD PUNCH Sept. 11, 1928.

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A. \INEILAND ET AL ALPHABETICAL KEYBOARD PUNCH Filed July 28, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Sept. 11, 1928.

UNITED STATES N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

PATENT OFFICE;

LEEED WEILAND, 0E NESHANIc, NEW JERSEY; HAROLD R. EussELE, or Become- TON, NEW YORK; AND CHARLES A. MEZGER, on NEW EEoNsWIox, NEW JERSEY, .ASSIGNORS, BYMESNE ASSIGNMENTS, 'ro EMINGToN-EAND me, on NEW YORK,

ALPHABETICAL KEYBOARD PUNCH.

Application; filed July 28, 1925. Serial No. 46,588.

The present invention relates to punching machines and more particularly to a'keyboard controlled punching mechanism for perforating statistical or record cards to represent digits and letters of the alphabet.

Some of the objects of the present invention are to provide a complete unitary keyboard controlledv punching mechanism for punching cards in accordance with the letters of the alphabet or. other characters or symbols; to provide means in a card pun'ching machine for making a punch setup corresponding to an letter of the alphabet; to provide means 1n a card punching mechanism, having a less number of punches m a row corresponding to a card column than there are letters in the alphabet, for perforating the card in a manner to represent any letter of the alphabet desired; to provide a punch mechanism controlled by an alphabetical keyboard wherein operation of any key of one group of letters of the alphabet causes the punch mechanism'to function in one predetermined manner, and operation of any key of another group of letters of the alphabet causes the punch mechanism to function in another redetermined manner; and to provide other improvements as will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. '1 represents a perspective of an alphabetical keyboard punch embodying one form of the present invention; Fig. 2 represents a section in fragmentalv elevation showing details of the card punching mechanism and operating adjuncts; Fig. 3 is a'diagram of a combination circuit operated by three keys for setting up either or both 'of two punches; Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail of one of the punch control solenoids and the circuit control for the same; Fi .5 is a. diagram of the keyboard circuits %or selectively setting upthe punches; and Fig. '6 represents a portion of a card punched in accordance with the present invention to represent certain letters of the alphabet. I Referring to the drawings, one form of the present invention comprises an alphabetical keyboard punch 10 for perforating record cards 11 so that each perforation in a column of the card or a combination of perforations in a column of the card represents either a digit or a letter of the alphakey to be set up for a unc that operation of any a phabet key from A punches punches bet. In the embodiment of the invention here shown each column in each field of the card has twelve points or placesto be perforatedarralngedin a row, preferably startmg at the top 12 and 11 and then following consecu-. tively from 0 to 9. Since the keyboard 12 of the present invention is arranged for number control as wellas alphabetical control and has thirty-eight punch control keys of the card with numbers (two of the little used alphabet ke s are of any key of the number keys will cause the corresponding number punch for that mg operation;

to M inclusive will cause the settmg up of a punch corresponding to the letter key operated in that group; and that operation of any alphabet key from N to Z W111 cause two punches to be set up in a combination corresponding to the letter key operated in that group. That this may be more readily understood the preferred arrangement is to have the letter key A set up the punch corresponding to the numeral 1; the key B set up the punch 0; the key 0 set up the punch 1; and thereafter continue consecutively to key M which sets up punch 12. For simplifyin the key construction the letters I and J both function on punch 7 The remaining keys for the other group of alphabet letters are arranged as combinations of punch 12 with another punch. Thus the N key causes punches 11 and 12 to be set up; 0 key sets up punch 0 and 12; P key sets up punches 1and 12; Q key sets up 3 and 12; S key sets up punches 4 and 12; T key sets up punches5 and 12; eitherkey U or V sets up punches 6 and 12; key W sets up punches .7 -and 12; either X or Z key sets upipunches 8 and 12; and Y key sets up punches 9 and 12. It will be understood that this is merely one and t feed rolls 14 for delivering the cards successively to a card passage 15 in a punch unit 16, a set-bar unit 17, and a travelling pin carriage 18, the pins 20 of which are selectively operated by a mechanism controlled by the operation of the keyboard 12.

The unperforated cards 11 are delivered.

through a gate 21 of the hopper 13 by a reciprocable picker 22 which is automatically operated and timed to take off one card at a time and deliver it to the feed rolls 14 from which it enters the passage 15 and becomes properly registered by meeting a stop 23 which is automatically operated and timed, by a rock-lever 24 having a roller 25 in contact with a cam 26, so as to hold the card during the punching operation and then release it for delivery to a receiving hopper 27.

The punching unit 16 consists of a plurality of punches 28, corresponding in numher and row arrangement to the lay-out of the card, supported by their heads from a plate 30 and with their shanks arran ed for sliding engagement in perforations o punch guide plates 31 and alined respectively with perforations 32 in a die plate 33. The plate 30 is stationary while the plates 31 and 33 are vertically reciprocable so that the card is raised for engagement with the punches 28 and unless a punch is held against movement it will be pushed up by the card and no perforation made in the card. The guide plate 31 and die plates 33 are reciprocated in proper timed relation to the cycle of operations by a rock arm 34 having a roller 35 riding on a cam 36.

The set-bar unit 17 performs the function r of locking the selected punches 28 against movement as transmitted by the card on the moving die plate 33 and consequently the punches so locked or held are caused to perforate the card. The unit 17 consists of a plurality of setting pins 37 mounted for sliding movement in a box member 38 with the ends of the pins projecting through the top. plate of the box and also passing through the bottom plate of the box. Collars 40 and coil springs 41 respectively on the ins 37 retain them pressed upwardly in t e box and out of the path of the punches 28 when the latter are moved. The setting pins 37 correspond in number and row arrangement to the punches 28, each pin 37 being superposed and alined with a punch 28.

For shifting and holding the setting pins 37 in punch locking position, setting bars 42 are respectively arranged in vertical'slidable relation above the setting pins 37, being mounted in a cage frame 43 having a top plate 44, through which the bars 42 protrude, a bottom plate 45, and a reciprocable latch plate 46. Each bar 42 is provided with a shoulder 47 to limit the upward movement of the bar 42, and has two edge recesses 48 and 50 connected by a cam face 51 which abuts the latch bar 46 and causes ,it to yield and allow the setting bar 42 to move downward to push its punch setting pin 37 to operative position. In this position the bar 42 is locked by reason of the return of the latch plate 46 which thenseats in the recess 48 to lock the bar 42 in its down position. After the punching operation all of the latch bars 46 are automatically moved to unlatched position so that the springs 41 of the setting pins 37 restore all set bars 42 to normal position ready for a new set-up.

In order to make a set-up of the setting bars 42, a set-up selecting unit 52 is rovided and mounted upon the pin carnage 18 so that it travels step by step across the top of the rows of the bars 42, the construction and arrangement bein such that the unit 52 moves successively rom alined position overthe rows of bars 42, stopping over each row to make the desired set-up. The unit 52 as here shown consists of a single row of the pins 20 spaced to aline respectively with the bars 42 of the rows in the setting bar frame 43, and normally held in retracted position by springs 54 operating against pivoted bell crank levers 55 attached to the respective pins 20. The pins 20 are selectively operated by the keys of the keyboard 12 so that any operated key causes its pin 20 to be projected and shift the alined set-ting bar 42 into latched position so that the corresponding punch is held to perforate order to terminate in the path of solenoid core 58. When any solenoid 57 is energized its core 58 will impact upon the end of the wire 56 of that solenoid and move it in the direction of its length to rock its bell crank 55 to throw the corresponding pin 20 outward or downward to shift its setting bar 42 so that the setting pin 37 is moved to prevent movement of the punch 28 which it controls.

In order to energize the solenoids 57 for the selecting operation, a plurality of electrical circuits are provided having a common source of current 60, a switch 61 for control purposes, and a resistance 62 for regulating -the operatlng current and a common ourrent return 63. The circuits are controlled and closed by the provision of contacts 64 and contactors 65, auxiliary contacts 66 and bridge contactors 67, all so positioned as to be closed respectively by the operation of corresponding keys of the keyboard 12.

As an example of the circuits operated by single keys to cause more than one punch to be set up at a time, reference 15 had to Fig. 3 wherein letter keyP, number keys 1 and 12, and the punch set-up mechanism for punches P, 1 and 12 are taken as a sample of the circuits of the group of which these keys form a part. The two solenoids 57 which respectively control the set-up levers 55 are included in a combination circuit, the one being in series with the contact 64 and the contactor 65 of key 1 for making a set-up only for punch l; the other being in series circuit with the contact 64 and the contactor 65 of key.

12 for making a set-up only for punch 12; and both solenoids being in parallel circuit with the contact 64, the auxiliary contact 66 and the bridge contactor 67 of the key P for making a dual set-up for punch-es 1 and 12. When two keys, such as W and Q, are represented by the same punches, their contacts 64 are bridged by a conductor 68 so that the operation of either closes the same punch control circuit.

In the operation of the machine a card is automatically fed into registering position in the passage 15 and remains there while the punch set-up for it is made by operating the keys of the keyboard 12 to give the predetermined perforated arrangement. For example, if the, first five columns of the card are to be punched to represent the word Powers, the operation of the key P will make a set-up for punches l and 12, and the pin carriage 18 will then automatically move over the next row of set-up bars 42 so that operation of the key 0 will make a set-up for punches l2 and O in that row. The carriage 18 then moves to the next row and operation of key 1V will make a set-up for punches 7 and 12, and the set-up for letters E, R and.S being made in the same way and respectively setting-up punches 3, 12 and 3, and 12 and 4; In this way the set-up is made for the entire card and when the carriage 18 has set up the last row required, the punch key of the machine is operated to cause the actuating shaft to be clutched to the motor driven shaft to reciprocate the die plates for the punching operation, the removing of the card stop, and the delivery of the perforated card to the receiving hopper. The carriage 18 is automatically returned to its starting position and the setup restored to zero position, that is with all the setting pins 37 and setting bars 42 raised to normal or inoperative position.

It will now be apparent that a complete unitary key-punch mechanism has been deivised wherein punching of record cards to correspond to letters of the alphabet is made possible or the punching of such cards to correspondto symbols or characters greater in number than has heretofore been possible on a machine of this character. One feature of the present invention is in the provision of a punching machine and an alphabetical keyboard whereby group arrangement of the keys and code control of the punches makes possible the perforation of a card in accordance with any arrangement of letters of the alphabet while provision of the usual numbers still makes possible an arrangementor set-up for punches representin numbers.

l laving thus described our invention, we claim:

' 1. In a card perforating machine, the

combination of a keyboard mounted on'the ing cards to said punching mechanism,

means actuated by any one of a group of said keys for causing said selecting device to set two set-up bars predetermined by the keys operated, and means actuated by any one of another group of keys for causing said selecting device to set one set-upbar predetermined by the key operated.

2. In a card perforating machine, the combination of a keyboard mounted on the machine. a punching mechanism including a plurality of rows of punches, each row corresponding to a column of a record card and having a less number of punches than there are keys on said keyboard, set up bars for the rcspective punches, a selecting device arranged to travel across said set-up mechanism, automatic means for successively feeding cards to said punching mechanism, means actuated by any one of a group. of said keys for causing said selecting device to set two set-up bars predetermined by the keys operated, means actuated by any one of another group of keys for causing said selecting device to set one set-upbar predetermined bv the key operated, and means for causing all punches corresponding to the set-pp bars to simultaneously perforate a, cart.

3. In card perforating machine, the

combination of a keyboard mounted on the machine, a punching mechanism including a plurality of rows of punches, each row cor- I responding to a column of a record card and having a less number of punches than there r are keys on said keyboard, set-up bars for the respective punches, a selecting device arranged to travel across said set-up mechanism, automatic means for successively feeding cards, means actuated by any one of a group of said keys for causing said selecting device to set two set-up bars predetermined by the keys operated, and means actuated by any one of another group of keys for causing said selecting device to set one set-up bar predetermined by the key operated.

4. In a card perforating machine, the combination of a keyboard mounted on the machine, a punching mechanism including a plurality of rows of punches, each row corresponding to a column of a record card and having a less number of punches than there are keys on said keyboard, set-up bars for the respective. punches, a selecting device arranged to travel across said set-up mechanism, automatic means for successively feed ing cards to and from said punching mechanism, means actuated by any one of a group of said keys for causing said selecting device to set two set-up bars predetermined by the keys operated, means actuated by any one of another group of keys for causing said selecting device to set one set-up bar predetermined by the key operated, and means for causing all punches corresponding to the set-up bars to simultaneously perforate a card.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 9th day of July, 1925.

ALFRED VVElLAND. HAROLD R. RUSSELL. CHARLES A. MEZGER. 

